Rolls-Royce Drophead Tourer Set for 2016, Wraith Platform Likely

Rolls-Royce has announced that it plans to add another drop-top model to its star-studded lineup, lending credence to previous speculation and rumors. A Rolls-Royce spokesperson told our friends at Automobile that the new high-end convertible will be an all-new model, instead of a drophead coupe variant of the lovely Rolls-Royce Wraith (pictured).

Many have speculated that the new vehicle would be a Rolls-Royce Wraith Drophead Coupe to follow the Phantom Drophead Coupe. Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös previously said that “the design [of the Wraith] certainly lends itself to a drophead coupe, and I think that will be the next variant.” We've even spied a Wraith Drophead prototype testing in the wild before.While the Goodwood-based automaker is saying that the next Rolls-Royce drophead will be an all-new model, it’s almost certain that it will be based on the Wraith’s platform, even if it gets its own model designation. If this is the case, the new convertible will use the Wraith’s same twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V-12, packing a thunderous 624 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.

Müller-Ötvös said in a statement that he considers the new Rolls-Royce drophead “[a] thoroughly modern interpretation of a pinnacle drophead tourer.” If Rolls-Royce chooses to draw from its history, the new convertible could also revive the Corniche nameplate introduced in 1971 for its Silver Shadow-based drophead.Look for the all-new Rolls-Royce Drophead to debut sometime in 2015, with deliveries beginning by mid-2016.